


Lazy Bus Rides

by timid_turtle_timi



Category: Free!
Genre: Alternate Universe - Different First Meeting, First Meetings, M/M, Pre-Canon
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-06-22
Updated: 2016-06-22
Packaged: 2018-07-16 16:02:03
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,291
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7274536
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/timid_turtle_timi/pseuds/timid_turtle_timi
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Nitori Aiichirou just can't seem to keep himself awake on his way home, spending so much time training to enter his dream school he didn't take into account his exhaustion. Though when he keeps waking up to a grumpy redhead he wishes he had. <br/>Can be shippy if you really like the pairing, but more platonic telling of a first meeting that's probably different from canon.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Lazy Bus Rides

**Author's Note:**

> I've been extremely sick lately, so all my other fics have come to a standstill since I can't concentrate enough to work on their timelines and make sure everything lines up right. Therefore I've been trying to knock out some of the one shots that I started and never finished. I hope you enjoy!! UwU

The smell of musk and chlorine was the first thing to greet Nitori as he woke up from his impromptu nap on the bus. Red hair, burgundy eyes, and an irritated scowl worked in part to form the face in front of him as he blinked blearily awake. “Your stop is coming up. Quit sleeping and pay attention.” The man snapped. Nitori’s cheeks burned as he muttered a soft apology. The man sitting next to him grumbled and turned slightly to face the aisle, ending their clipped conversation. This was the third time that week that Nitori had fallen asleep in his seat after boarding the bus to go home. It was the second time that the same handsome stranger had shaken him awake so he didn’t miss his stop like the first time. The thought of the stranger once again brought a light burn to Nitori’s face. 

Two stops after his initial wake up call, Nitori tugged on the chord to signal its arrival. The stranger that had sat next to him stood to give him room to shuffle embarrassedly out of his seat. Unable to meet his intense gaze, Nitori squeaked out a weak thanks before scurrying to the door. He was safe from his awkward encounter; free to walk home after sighing, and shaking off his remaining embarrassment. 

The next day Nitori took the bus and swore to himself he would stay awake. The stranger that had woken him up before was standing beside the second row of seats, Nitori was determined not to trouble him this time. Despite his will to keep his eyes open, he found himself struggling within the first five minutes. The lull of the quiet bus was soothing to Nitori. He dreamed of attending a prestigious school that specialized in athletics once it was time to move to high school. So he had gotten up that morning and gone straight to his school’s pool where he got an extra two hours to practice before the rest of the team showed up. After morning practice he had been late for class, and after class had finished, he was back in the water once he had spoken to his captain about his times. This had been more or less his routine for the last week, but despite his extra morning training, he had not improved. Rather than cutting down his time, Nitori was exhausted and crawling at the same pace as he had been for the last two years of middle school. 

That first day he had fallen asleep on the bus he missed his stop by two miles. When he woke up Nitori promptly let out a high pitched yelp, and scrambled off of the bus as the other passengers looked at him oddly. His parents had been more than a little displeased that he had been so careless. Though Nitori couldn’t decide which he would rather be facing, his parent’s lectures, or the sharp look that the stranger seemed to have reserved just for him. As the bus continued to bump along the road Nitori’s eyes slowly fluttered shut. His head hit the seat in front of him and was asleep in a matter of moments. From that day on he had been woken up several times, most likely out of pity, by the same person.

Chlorine and musk was beginning to become a familiar scent as Nitori was shaken once again into the waking world. “Kid come on you seriously need to wake the fuck up.” A deep gravelly voice snapped Nitori fully out of his slumber. The red headed stranger sat once again in the seat next to Nitori. The younger gave a strangled noise, his cheeks taking on a rosy hue. The man next to him rolled his eyes and leaned back in his seat, a harsh scowl forming on his lips. Nitori averted his gaze down to his hands murmuring a soft apology. 

The two of them sat in silence for a while. The stranger next to him had woken him up especially early for his stop, and Nitori could already feel the heaviness of sleep threatening to take him once more. To keep himself occupied he looked out the window and began counting the trees that they passed by. However, this set another soothing rhythm along with the jostling of the bus. Nitori’s eyes drooped shut for the second time that day. “Oi! What are you- Get off!” A hand pressed itself firmly against Nitori’s forehead as the boy was shoved back into his own seat. Blearily he looked into the eyes of his stranger before he realized with a sharp pang of embarrassment that he had fallen asleep on the man’s shoulder. 

In an ungraceful scramble Nitori threw himself away from the stranger. His face blazed a bright scarlet as he furiously apologized repeatedly. The stranger just looked at him with an intimidating glare before stopping the younger male. “If you’re sorry then stay awake dammit. Why the hell are you so tired all the time?” 

Nitori halted in his profuse apologies as his gaze darted away from the stranger’s face. “I really am sorry. I’m just tired from swimming.” He confessed. The stranger shifted beside him, seemingly accepting his answer. 

“Don’t work yourself too hard.” He said gruffly. “What’s your specialty?” Nitori looked to him confused. 

“Breaststroke.” The stranger’s face softened little by little as he asked Nitori more questions about his swimming.

As the rest of the ride went on Nitori managed to keep his enthusiasm contained when the stranger, only a year older than himself, mentioned attending Samezuka academy for his final years of high school. “I’ve been thinking of attending there as well, though I’m not sure my times are up to par with such a powerhouse school.” He chuckled darkly. The redhead scoffed. 

“Not with that attitude you won’t. Look kid- “

“Nitori.”

“Look Nitori. If you say you can’t do something, then you never will. You have to work for it sure, but more than that you have to believe that it’s possible.” 

Nitori stared at the stranger, whose words tumbled around in his mind, before a giggle slipped out from his lips. The hotheaded passenger blushed profusely and snarled at Nitori once more. “I-I’m sorry senpai.” He said around his giggling. “But you sounded like someone in an anime for a moment.” 

Blush still blooming over his cheeks, the redhead scoffed as he faced forward. “Just focus on your times and stop working yourself to death. You can’t go to an elite school if you end up falling asleep and drowning you know.” With new determination, Nitori nodded at his advice, earning a half smile from the stranger in turn. 

As Nitori’s stop grew closer the stranger stood to let Nitori slip by. Steeling his nerve, Nitori turned suddenly to face him. “What’s your name?” he asked shyly. 

The man turned to him with a smirk. “Tell you what, you get into Samezuka and I’ll tell you what my name is.” He said daringly. The bus was stopping, but Nitori protested.

“But you already know my name! It’s impolite to ask a stranger’s name without giving your own!”

“I’ve been waking you up for a week, I think we can both agree we’re not stranger’s anymore.”

The other passengers and the driver were shooting daggers at Nitori as the bus remained at his stop. The younger boy puffed out his cheeks in indignation, reluctantly taking his leave from the bus. He called over his shoulder to the still smirking redhead, “I’ll see you soon senpai, I can’t wait to be with you at school next year!” and with that, he departed, not missing the amused chuckling from a few rows back.


End file.
